How you know you're watching a Kdrama...

There are quite a few things which I have noticed that seems to crop up now and again during my lifetime of watching kdramas. Okay, apart from the obvious fact that the characters are all speaking in Korean and oriental-looking, I have managed to pick out a couple of other habits or 'events' which appears in multiple dramas.

For instance...

Love stories between Rich Guys and Poor Girls

Rich Guys

Gu Jun Pyo (Boys Over Flowers)

So Ji Sub (The Master's Sun)

Cha Seung Jo (Cheongdamdong Alice)

Lee Tae Ik (Full House Take 2)

 

Poor Girls

Cha Eun Sang (The Heirs)

Why is it that we're always poor?

 For once, can't we be arrogant rich girls who saves the desperate poor guys?

Geum Jan Di (Boys over Flowers)

I totally feel you, my Dongsaeng! 

Yes, people may classify this as a form of sexism. That's up to you - but just keep in mind that not all kdramas follow that pattern. Trust me, if it did, I wouldn't be writing this right now because I would have stopped watching kdramas altogether. But you see, that didn't happen

The Heirs is honestly the perfect example of this, and in some respects, I sort of see the character Cha Eun Sang as a reincarnation of Geun Jan Di from the legendary Boys Over Flowers. Yes, Lee Min Ho is the leading male actor in both dramas, whose character falls in love with both of the girls. But, there are just so many more similarities between the two characters: obsessed with work, ending up in a rich private school, being bullied by other rich girls, etc. However, I think that producers have made attempts to turn the stereotype around if you closely examine the latest dramas. So, this isn't such a bad thing.

Piggyback rides

A rather dramatic one...

From Good Doctor (an amazing drama - so sad)

'

GUY:

"Sure, hit me in the head with a teddy bear why don't you?!!"

(see the full list here: http://www.dramafever.com/news/8-of-the-cutest-k-drama-piggyback-rides/ )

From watching kdramas, I am beginning to feel like it is the norm to see couples giving piggy back rides whilst walking down the road in South Korea, especially at night. Well, I don’t know- for those of you who have lived or are living in Korea, is it really? I find this actually extremely adorable but you can’t really do that in real life…

GIRL: Oh no! I twisted my ankle for some bizarre reason.

GUY: That’s a shame! Tell you what, I’ll give you a piggy back home.

(In the land of Kdrama)

GIRL: Omo! Thanks!

(In reality)

GIRL: (clears throat) I think I’ll just take a cab…

Soju

You cannot miss this at all, no matter what kdrama you are watching. The consumption of Soju and other alcoholic beverages are highly prominent. You will usually see characters going off for a drink after finding out they’ve been rejected by their lovers, or as a way of releasing stress after a long day at work, or as a get-together for work colleagues or to in the process of drinking, accidently confess their love for another character and make things awkward the morning after. Personally, I have vowed not to ever drink alcohol so I will never really understand the magical powers inside Soju, in making Kdramas entertaining and lively.

Ramen

This guy hasn't even bothered to cook it!

A perfect midnight snack or a substitute for lunch or dinner when the characters don’t feel like cooking, be it home-cooked or instant ramen. Flower Boy Ramen Shop is the perfect example – as you can see from the name…It really is such a genius invention though.

Car Accidents and other car-related accidents

Prime Minister and I

The heroine runs across the road, after her child, when the traffic lights turn red. Then, suddenly she finds herself in front of a large accelerating van, only to be saved by the hero whose miraculous sense of timing pulls her away from danger. This is pretty common in romantic comedies and is used as a turning point for many relationships: to cause the heroine to feel like it’s her fault for putting the hero in danger and come to such a stupid conclusion that there’s nothing she should do but desert the guy, or the opposite, to result in progress between the two lovers.

Everyone having the same phone and other sneaky ways to advertise 

this brilliant meme is referring to The Heirs

These are the extremely cute Emotion Eye Smartphone Android, produced by LG in South Korea, which was used by almost every single character on Birth of a Beauty.

But you know what I mean just by looking at the pictures. They also have a tendency to promote Samsung a lot too – it’s not even just phones, they also promote Samsung Cameras and even vacuum cleaners! Other than electronic devices, they are also promoting certain shops such as Discovery ,which I suppose is a clothing brand for winter and sporting activities. Subway (where you get those foot-long sandwiches) is included amongst many of the places where the characters tend to eat.

Prime Minister and I

the same place in You're all Surrounded